George t



(No Model.)

G.'T. CHAPMAN.

INVENTOR BY fiwm ATTORNEY WITNESSES:

UNrrnD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE T. CHAPMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM HARVEY MERRITT, OF SAME PLACE.

VEHICLE-SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letter 3 Patent No. 503,761, dated August 22, 1893.

Application filed October 20, 1892- Serial No. 449,447. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: tion of the spring they lodge against the roll- Be itknown that l, GEORGE T. CHAPMAN, a ers in opposing relation to each other and citizen of the United States, and a resident of center the body on the wagon, and what ex- New York city, in the countyand State of tension of the spring occurs by the load and 5 New York, have invented certain new and by shocks, thruststhe hooks orloops outward,

useful Improvements in Wagon-Springs, of the recoil effecting reverse movements.

which the following is a specification. The rollers lessen the friction largely and My invention relates to mounting semi-elthey afford more substantial and satisfactory liptical cross-springs on the side bars or other means of facilitating the lengthwise varia- [0 supports in a side bar or other wagon, and is tions of the spring than slide ways or the videsigned to provide a simpler and moreefbrating link suspending device commonly fective way of mounting such springs so as used. to provide for the lengthening and shorten- The rollers d, may be mounted sufficiently ing of the springs without lateral play of the close under the side bar, for the side bar to 15 body, and it consists of said springs hooked form a guard over the spring, to prevent the or looped at both ends over a bearing supspring from escaping over the rollers by port as aroller so that both ends lodge against shocks, or another roller It, may be mounted the supportin opposing relation to each other over the spring, in which case it will be pre in the shortest condition of the spring and ferred to arrange it in contactwith the spring :0 center the body on the wagon, the said hooks for confining it snugly, to prevent rattling, or

or loops being thrust outward alike by the a spring may be used for such guard. extensions of the springs so that the body The bodyt' is mounted on the springs by the remains in the central position entirely free bearing brackets j, pivoted at one end under of vibration on account of the action of the the body at 71;, and at the other end coupled 25 springs, all as hereinafter fully described refto the spring by a ball and socket joint Z, with 75 erence being made to the accompanying drawa bearing block m, preferably of elastic maings, in which terial interposed between said bracket and Figure 1, is a front elevation of a box and body near the spring, but this is the subject transverse section of the side bars of a wagon of another application for a patent filed at 30 in which the spring is mounted in accordance the same time with this and is not claimed with my invention. Fig. 2, is a similar view herein, and therefore is not specifically deof part of the same on a larger scale with scribed. But the manner of mounting the the spring in section. Fig. 3, is a side View body on the springs at intermediate points of part of the devices of Fig. 1. Fig. 4, isa between the center and the ends of the springs 35 side view of some of the parts and transverse with the middle portions of the springs free section of the spring and other parts showto vibrate is especially favorable to the maning the manner of mounting the body on the her of suspending the springs on their end spring. supports with the ends of the springs free to I make the spring a, with hook ends as I), extend beyond and recoil against the sup- 0 or with loops as indicated by the dotted line ports, in that the body has about double the 9c 0, Fig. 2, and suspend the spring by engagvertical play with a given amount of lengthing the hooked or looped ends on rollers 11, or wise extension and contraction of the springs other supports, said roller when used being as when the body is mounted on the crown pivoted in suitable bearings e, which are in of the springs, because in this way the range 45 this case suspended from the side-bars f, by of the vertical play of the body and the 9 5 clips g, but may be attached to the side-bars springs extends about as much below the horior other supports in any approved way, said zontal plane of the supports for the ends of hooks or loops being in such relation to the the springs as above. The amount of the exlength of the spring that in the normal light tension of the ends of the springs is not there- 50 condition of the wagon and shortest condifore as objectionable because of the liability :00

of thebody to side thrusts when the springsv are in that condition for such thrusts will be only half what they would otherwise be.

I am aware of the Patent No. 392,063 in which side springs pivoted so as not to have lengthwise'movement on the hind axle have the front end hooked over a roller mounted on the bolster in a manner whereby lengthwise movement of the springs is positively subject to the fixed position of the one end and causes corresponding forward and backward movement of the body mounted on the springs, and in which the hook end has no function other than a straight end portion would have, and I do not claim such device. I am also aware of the Patents Nos. 144,514 and 151,097 in which thereare cross springs the lengthening movements of which are subject towthe opposing action of rubber cushions at the ends for controlling the position of the body, which are liable to interfere with the desired freedom'of action of the springs, and

require tension rods to stay the side bars, or

branches of said bars .for relief, besides being'much' more expensive and liable to get out of'order, and I do not claim such devices.

I claim- 1. Ina wagon, the'cross springs supporting the bodyhooked over and suspended at both ends on supports attached to the side bars or wagon, with the said ends free to extend by the elongation of the springs, and to hook and lodge directly against the supports by the contraction of :the springs the springs being free to vibratelbetweenthe supports of the body thereon substantially .asidescribed.

Signed at New York city, inthe countyand Stateof New York, this 30th day of Septemher. A. D. 1892.

I GEO. T. CHAPMAN.

Witnesses:

W. J. MORGAN, O. E. WHITNEY. 

